25. The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (7/24/2011 -7/27/2011)
Gerard Way is probably better known as the lead singer/lyricist of My Chemical Romance, but he has always expressed a love for comic books and graphic novels, and thus this is one of his first major creations (at least, it's one of the first that I'm aware of -- doesn't necessarily mean it's actually his first :) ). A friend of mine gifted this first installation of the Umbrella Academy to me and I greatly enjoyed it. The delivery style is a little difficult to read, and I suspect that I'd benefit greatly from reading it again to be sure I understood it, but it's incredibly imaginative and I can't wait to get my hands on the second one.
The Umbrella Academy is made up of seven people who were born to mothers who didn't know they were pregnant. And no, not like that awful TV show -- these mothers didn't have any signs or symptoms, didn't gain weight, didn't go into labor, etc. Instead, about 40 babies just suddenly popped out wherever their "mothers" happened to be. Most were abandoned but these seven were adopted by an eccentric old man who raised them and cultivated their unique talents into a somewhat superhero-like group. The first chapters detail this as well as their first "public" appearance as the Umbrella Academy (wherein they fight an Eiffel Tower that has apparently gone insane). The rest of the graphic novel is the story of The Apocalypse Suite, a composition that will, if played perfectly, destroy the world, and the still-involved members of the Umbrella Academy must stop it. There are a lot of complicated emotions and stories at work throughout this, but I won't go into them for fear of either giving something away or screwing it up entirely.
Suffice it to say this: if you enjoy graphic novels, read The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite. I've always felt that graphic novels belong in a much more accepted place in American literature, and this one certainly proves that graphic novels can be just as complex and emotionally involved as any "regular" novel.
Monday, July 25, 2011
24. Big Trouble
24. Big Trouble by Dave Barry (7/22/2011 - 7/24/2011)
Ah, Dave Barry. This is his insane and delightful first attempt into the realm of fiction, and I have always loved it. (I will always love it and will always in particular love my copy of this novel -- more later!)
The plot consists of roughly 500 misunderstandings that quickly spiral out of control between about 10 or so characters. To be quite honest, I'm not 100% sure how to describe this book. Two hitmen are after a guy who is stealing money from his company, that guy's wife and step-daughter are respectively into another guy and his son, there's a homeless guy who lives in the first guy's backyard, two cops get involved in a very confusing way, and they all end up at an airport trying to stop two idiots from carrying a bomb -- that they turned on as they went through airport security to prove it wasn't a bomb -- from getting on a plane. And that doesn't even begin to cover all the insanity in this book. It is an absolutely delightful read because it is so random and hilarious, provided you are okay with the fact that the book doesn't have much of a plot. I'm having a hard time describing this and I know it, but this is one of those books where, if you already know and love Dave Barry, you can't possibly not like it.
Side Note: If you are for some reason wondering about the movie that was made out of this novel, take my word for it: do not waste your time! Since so much of what makes Barry's novel hilarious comes from his descriptions, the story simply does not translate onto the screen. It's unfortunate, really, since this book is so fantastically weird that one would think it'd make for a hilarious movie, but it just doesn't work.
Now, my copy of this book: I was super lucky and Dave Barry visited a library near me on Aug. 13, 2011, so I got to meet him!!! This was one of those moments that will be a highlight of my entire life (along with my wedding :)). He and Ridley Pearson, who write children's books together, were on a book tour and since Pearson lives in St. Louis, they started with the Headquarters of the St. Louis County Library system. There were a lot of awesome things about this night, but the best part for me was when I was running around going, "I'm gonna meet DAVE BARRY!" and Dave Barry himself looked at me being crazy and turned to my fiancee and said, "She's very excitable, isn't she?" And then he introduced himself and shook my hand and signed my copy of Big Trouble!! It now proudly says, "Stay out of trouble! - Dave Barry" and it's easily the coolest book I have ever or will ever own.
Yay! I met one of my favorite authors!! Now, to hunt down Stephen King...
Ah, Dave Barry. This is his insane and delightful first attempt into the realm of fiction, and I have always loved it. (I will always love it and will always in particular love my copy of this novel -- more later!)
The plot consists of roughly 500 misunderstandings that quickly spiral out of control between about 10 or so characters. To be quite honest, I'm not 100% sure how to describe this book. Two hitmen are after a guy who is stealing money from his company, that guy's wife and step-daughter are respectively into another guy and his son, there's a homeless guy who lives in the first guy's backyard, two cops get involved in a very confusing way, and they all end up at an airport trying to stop two idiots from carrying a bomb -- that they turned on as they went through airport security to prove it wasn't a bomb -- from getting on a plane. And that doesn't even begin to cover all the insanity in this book. It is an absolutely delightful read because it is so random and hilarious, provided you are okay with the fact that the book doesn't have much of a plot. I'm having a hard time describing this and I know it, but this is one of those books where, if you already know and love Dave Barry, you can't possibly not like it.
Side Note: If you are for some reason wondering about the movie that was made out of this novel, take my word for it: do not waste your time! Since so much of what makes Barry's novel hilarious comes from his descriptions, the story simply does not translate onto the screen. It's unfortunate, really, since this book is so fantastically weird that one would think it'd make for a hilarious movie, but it just doesn't work.
Now, my copy of this book: I was super lucky and Dave Barry visited a library near me on Aug. 13, 2011, so I got to meet him!!! This was one of those moments that will be a highlight of my entire life (along with my wedding :)). He and Ridley Pearson, who write children's books together, were on a book tour and since Pearson lives in St. Louis, they started with the Headquarters of the St. Louis County Library system. There were a lot of awesome things about this night, but the best part for me was when I was running around going, "I'm gonna meet DAVE BARRY!" and Dave Barry himself looked at me being crazy and turned to my fiancee and said, "She's very excitable, isn't she?" And then he introduced himself and shook my hand and signed my copy of Big Trouble!! It now proudly says, "Stay out of trouble! - Dave Barry" and it's easily the coolest book I have ever or will ever own.
Yay! I met one of my favorite authors!! Now, to hunt down Stephen King...
23. The Firm
23. The Firm by John Grisham (7/16/2011 - 7/22/2011)
I started this book looking for something fluff-like to read after Interview with the Vampire, and this ultimately was a perfect choice for that purpose. It's an easy read and super-interesting, especially the ending (which I won't describe because it would give a lot of things away -- let's just say it's very action-packed and high adrenaline). The plot is simple: a young lawyer named Mitch McDeere takes a job with a small but apparently super rich tax firm in Memphis and his life basically unravels as a direct result of this choice. It turns out that the firm is really a front for money laundering, among other highly illegal things, and the FBI wants to take it down. Guess who they chose to help them: that's right, Mitch. From that point, the entire book is very on-edge; I've read it before and was still so involved that I didn't notice what was going on around me in the real world -- I kept wondering if this time, would they get caught stealing documents or meeting with the police or whatever.
It's a well constructed plot that keeps the reader engaged and guessing, and like I said before, it's an easy read. (One thing I will mention is that you do need to keep in mind that it was written in 1991 -- Mitch is bargaining constantly for about 1 million dollars, and that just didn't seem like much to me! But it was obviously a LOT more money twenty years ago.) I greatly enjoyed it, plus it served its purpose for me, which was to read something that was not dense and would not require a lot of mental effort on my part. Read into that what you will -- it's a good book.
I started this book looking for something fluff-like to read after Interview with the Vampire, and this ultimately was a perfect choice for that purpose. It's an easy read and super-interesting, especially the ending (which I won't describe because it would give a lot of things away -- let's just say it's very action-packed and high adrenaline). The plot is simple: a young lawyer named Mitch McDeere takes a job with a small but apparently super rich tax firm in Memphis and his life basically unravels as a direct result of this choice. It turns out that the firm is really a front for money laundering, among other highly illegal things, and the FBI wants to take it down. Guess who they chose to help them: that's right, Mitch. From that point, the entire book is very on-edge; I've read it before and was still so involved that I didn't notice what was going on around me in the real world -- I kept wondering if this time, would they get caught stealing documents or meeting with the police or whatever.
It's a well constructed plot that keeps the reader engaged and guessing, and like I said before, it's an easy read. (One thing I will mention is that you do need to keep in mind that it was written in 1991 -- Mitch is bargaining constantly for about 1 million dollars, and that just didn't seem like much to me! But it was obviously a LOT more money twenty years ago.) I greatly enjoyed it, plus it served its purpose for me, which was to read something that was not dense and would not require a lot of mental effort on my part. Read into that what you will -- it's a good book.
22. Interview with the Vampire
22. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (7/10/2011 - 7/15/2011)
I've tried to read Anne Rice before and found her writing dense and sometimes difficult to read -- not because it's hard to understand necessarily, but because it gets boring. This time I thought I was prepared to actually read and appreciate her writing (I tried before about 6 years ago and put it down almost immediately), but it turns out that ultimately, Anne Rice's vampires simply don't appeal to me. The main vampire in this novel is really quite depressing -- he has trouble dealing with the immortal life he's been given and plus, frankly, he's kind of boring. And the plot is large and slow-moving; this vampire is telling his story, which extends from about the 1790s or so until roughly modern day, and it is simply not that interesting. I read the entire book, but I had to force myself through some sections -- no matter how I tried, I could not get really into this book.
I realize that Anne Rice has many many rabid fans out there who love her books, and that's just fine with me -- I'm just not one of them. I thought about reading another in the Vampire Chronicles just to see if I'd like that better, maybe the protagonist would be more interesting or something, but I just couldn't make myself.
I've tried to read Anne Rice before and found her writing dense and sometimes difficult to read -- not because it's hard to understand necessarily, but because it gets boring. This time I thought I was prepared to actually read and appreciate her writing (I tried before about 6 years ago and put it down almost immediately), but it turns out that ultimately, Anne Rice's vampires simply don't appeal to me. The main vampire in this novel is really quite depressing -- he has trouble dealing with the immortal life he's been given and plus, frankly, he's kind of boring. And the plot is large and slow-moving; this vampire is telling his story, which extends from about the 1790s or so until roughly modern day, and it is simply not that interesting. I read the entire book, but I had to force myself through some sections -- no matter how I tried, I could not get really into this book.
I realize that Anne Rice has many many rabid fans out there who love her books, and that's just fine with me -- I'm just not one of them. I thought about reading another in the Vampire Chronicles just to see if I'd like that better, maybe the protagonist would be more interesting or something, but I just couldn't make myself.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
21. Marley and Me
21. Marley and Me by John Grogan (7/7/2011 - 7/9/2011)
Anyone reading this can easily tell which books I really enjoyed -- I tend to crank through them in about 2-3 days or less. And this is so very true with Marley and Me. It's a popular book (and surprisingly, a decent movie) that's been read by a lot of people, so I won't dwell on it too much, but I do love this book.
Even though I'm not sure I could actually care for a dog at this point in my life, I still like reading about dogs and the craziness they tend to bring to their owners' lives -- which is definitely what happens in Marley and Me. Author John Grogan isn't working with a plot, per se, but is instead simply chronicling the growth and development in himself and his family throughout their lives with this one insane dog. Many of the dog's antics are hilarious, such as making a break for it out the window of a moving car to avoid being neutered and a brief role in a movie, while others are heartbreaking, especially Marley's gradual descent into dog old-age. It's a book that both makes me want to get a dog and avoid getting one at all costs; Grogan spares no details on how awful it is to watch a beloved pet start to die but he also lovingly portrays how much fun that dog can be.
I would recommend this book to almost anyone -- it's a quick read and many parts are charming. But I would especially recommend this book to anyone considering getting a dog; I think this book can really help potential owners understand what they'd be getting into by getting a puppy or adult dog.
Anyone reading this can easily tell which books I really enjoyed -- I tend to crank through them in about 2-3 days or less. And this is so very true with Marley and Me. It's a popular book (and surprisingly, a decent movie) that's been read by a lot of people, so I won't dwell on it too much, but I do love this book.
Even though I'm not sure I could actually care for a dog at this point in my life, I still like reading about dogs and the craziness they tend to bring to their owners' lives -- which is definitely what happens in Marley and Me. Author John Grogan isn't working with a plot, per se, but is instead simply chronicling the growth and development in himself and his family throughout their lives with this one insane dog. Many of the dog's antics are hilarious, such as making a break for it out the window of a moving car to avoid being neutered and a brief role in a movie, while others are heartbreaking, especially Marley's gradual descent into dog old-age. It's a book that both makes me want to get a dog and avoid getting one at all costs; Grogan spares no details on how awful it is to watch a beloved pet start to die but he also lovingly portrays how much fun that dog can be.
I would recommend this book to almost anyone -- it's a quick read and many parts are charming. But I would especially recommend this book to anyone considering getting a dog; I think this book can really help potential owners understand what they'd be getting into by getting a puppy or adult dog.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
20. A Map of the World
20. A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton (6/29/2011 - 7/7/2011)
This was frankly a very unusual book. The story arc described by the back (which was what I used to buy the book) and the story that the book contains are very different. The back describes roughly the first 50 or so pages of probably 300 or so, and what they describe has only the most basic and minimal relationship with the rest of the plot.
Alice and Theresa are neighbors and close friends in a small farming community, and they alternate watching each other's kids. One morning, Alice is watching Theresa's children when one of them gets away from her; this child wanders out of the house without anyone realizing and ends up drowning in a pond on Alice's property. Alice and Theresa's relationship takes an awful turn, of course, as Theresa struggles with her child's death. But this accident has a major effect on Alice as well, who spirals into a horrific depression to the point where she will barely climb out of bed.
From this opening, I was expected the rest of the story to deal with the changes in the lives of both of these women; what actually happens, though, is quite bizarre. Alice is arrested about a month after the little girl's death under accusations of child molestation from a boy who attends the school where Alice works as a nurse. Since this is such a shock to the community, she is kept in jail under $100K bond until her trial, so her husband struggles to get her released. Up until this point, the story is told from Alice's first-person perspective, which I did not find appealing as she spends a remarkable amount of time feeling sorry for herself. But after she fails to be released pending her trial, the narration switches to her husband Howard's perspective, and he is a much better narrator. The story is still a little confusing because the first part seems so irrelevant; Theresa actually ends up caring for Alice's children during the majority of the time she's imprisoned, so why Hamilton would kill off one of the children is just beyond me.
I suppose there is some enormous lesson about forgiveness here, but when a mother forgives her child's murderer, whether that death was accidental or otherwise, within about two months, that doesn't seem like forgiveness really to me -- that seems like insanity. I won't give away the ending except to say that while Theresa continues to keep in touch, ultimately the two families drift apart. I think perhaps that this story is more aimed at people around my mother's age and not mine; it seems like the type of thing she would enjoy far more than I would, especially considering that she knows what it's like to have children and so could imagine the horror of losing one, whereas I cannot possibly fathom that.
This was frankly a very unusual book. The story arc described by the back (which was what I used to buy the book) and the story that the book contains are very different. The back describes roughly the first 50 or so pages of probably 300 or so, and what they describe has only the most basic and minimal relationship with the rest of the plot.
Alice and Theresa are neighbors and close friends in a small farming community, and they alternate watching each other's kids. One morning, Alice is watching Theresa's children when one of them gets away from her; this child wanders out of the house without anyone realizing and ends up drowning in a pond on Alice's property. Alice and Theresa's relationship takes an awful turn, of course, as Theresa struggles with her child's death. But this accident has a major effect on Alice as well, who spirals into a horrific depression to the point where she will barely climb out of bed.
From this opening, I was expected the rest of the story to deal with the changes in the lives of both of these women; what actually happens, though, is quite bizarre. Alice is arrested about a month after the little girl's death under accusations of child molestation from a boy who attends the school where Alice works as a nurse. Since this is such a shock to the community, she is kept in jail under $100K bond until her trial, so her husband struggles to get her released. Up until this point, the story is told from Alice's first-person perspective, which I did not find appealing as she spends a remarkable amount of time feeling sorry for herself. But after she fails to be released pending her trial, the narration switches to her husband Howard's perspective, and he is a much better narrator. The story is still a little confusing because the first part seems so irrelevant; Theresa actually ends up caring for Alice's children during the majority of the time she's imprisoned, so why Hamilton would kill off one of the children is just beyond me.
I suppose there is some enormous lesson about forgiveness here, but when a mother forgives her child's murderer, whether that death was accidental or otherwise, within about two months, that doesn't seem like forgiveness really to me -- that seems like insanity. I won't give away the ending except to say that while Theresa continues to keep in touch, ultimately the two families drift apart. I think perhaps that this story is more aimed at people around my mother's age and not mine; it seems like the type of thing she would enjoy far more than I would, especially considering that she knows what it's like to have children and so could imagine the horror of losing one, whereas I cannot possibly fathom that.
19. Under the Dome
19. Under the Dome by Stephen King (6/26/2011 - ???)
I started this book after finishing the Green Mile, and my hopes were very high. For roughly the first 100 pages (out of more than 1,000), my hopes were proven successful: King's description of the early events of the book is amazing. Essentially, this is what happens: a force field drops in exact conformation to the town lines of a small community in Maine, and I do meant in EXACT conformation -- one example King uses to illustrate this point is a woman who, while inadvertently reaching across the town line to pull a weed in her garden, loses half of her arm to the outside of the force field and consequently bleeds to death. (King may not be as amazing at crafting a plot as he used to be, but he can certainly still craft quality and creative gore when he wants to!)
That being said, I was unimpressed with this book. The first few pages are fine, like I said above, but the plot quickly descends into snotty people squabbling, murderers getting appointed as stand-in police officers (aha! the irony! King seems to be saying, except instead of saying it he's slapping me in the face with it -- no thanks!), and some small-town big shot trying to run the hero out of town so he can play puppeteer. One review I read on Amazon compared it to a comic book-style villainy/plot and I could not agree more; there just seems to be no density to the characters once the set-up of the book is completed.
Normally I love Stephen King -- I have a Dark Tower tattoo! -- but I don't yet know if I'll be finishing this book. My money is on "no."
I started this book after finishing the Green Mile, and my hopes were very high. For roughly the first 100 pages (out of more than 1,000), my hopes were proven successful: King's description of the early events of the book is amazing. Essentially, this is what happens: a force field drops in exact conformation to the town lines of a small community in Maine, and I do meant in EXACT conformation -- one example King uses to illustrate this point is a woman who, while inadvertently reaching across the town line to pull a weed in her garden, loses half of her arm to the outside of the force field and consequently bleeds to death. (King may not be as amazing at crafting a plot as he used to be, but he can certainly still craft quality and creative gore when he wants to!)
That being said, I was unimpressed with this book. The first few pages are fine, like I said above, but the plot quickly descends into snotty people squabbling, murderers getting appointed as stand-in police officers (aha! the irony! King seems to be saying, except instead of saying it he's slapping me in the face with it -- no thanks!), and some small-town big shot trying to run the hero out of town so he can play puppeteer. One review I read on Amazon compared it to a comic book-style villainy/plot and I could not agree more; there just seems to be no density to the characters once the set-up of the book is completed.
Normally I love Stephen King -- I have a Dark Tower tattoo! -- but I don't yet know if I'll be finishing this book. My money is on "no."
18. The Green Mile
18. The Green Mile by Stephen King (6/21/2011 - 6/25/2011)
There are many reasons why I love this book, not least of which is that I tend to love Stephen King's writing, especially his older works. There is a density to his writing that makes it feel real -- every character, no matter how short his or her appearance in King's novels, has a first and last name, a background, a story that I as the reader can use to flesh out the surrounding landscape of the book. Consequently, there is something about Stephen King's writing that makes me too want to be a writer, makes me want to be able to construct my own stories the same artful way that he does. (This is unlikely, as that is part of King's voice and not mine, but nonetheless: I am envious of his skill :) )
The plot is both easy and difficult to explain: It is the narration of a former Death Row prison guard as he looks back on his life and what happened during about six or eight months in the 1930s. But it is also about John Coffey, a man and a prisoner who possesses an extraordinary gift but also a terrible price to pay for that gift -- and about how others around him respond to his very existence. I have a difficult time writing about the plot without giving anything away, which I certainly don't want to do. The events of the story are astounding.
I also love the Green Mile for its depiction of the death penalty. I won't go into much of my own opinion here since I know the potential that has for opening political debates, but suffice it to say that I am against the death penalty. And despite this book's setting -- quite literally on Death Row -- I feel like it ultimately carries a very anti-death penalty message. (This may turn you off from the book now, and if that's the case, then this probably isn't the book for you.)
For the record: I have not yet seen the movie version of the Green Mile, so I can't offer any comparisons. Since Tom Hanks can be a decent actor, I have hope that it hasn't been butchered. But unfortunately, I don't have a lot of hope :) Stephen King novels tend to be destroyed when they encounter Hollywood (ex. The Shining), so the movie could be awful. I'll try to get back to this point after I've seen it.
There are many reasons why I love this book, not least of which is that I tend to love Stephen King's writing, especially his older works. There is a density to his writing that makes it feel real -- every character, no matter how short his or her appearance in King's novels, has a first and last name, a background, a story that I as the reader can use to flesh out the surrounding landscape of the book. Consequently, there is something about Stephen King's writing that makes me too want to be a writer, makes me want to be able to construct my own stories the same artful way that he does. (This is unlikely, as that is part of King's voice and not mine, but nonetheless: I am envious of his skill :) )
The plot is both easy and difficult to explain: It is the narration of a former Death Row prison guard as he looks back on his life and what happened during about six or eight months in the 1930s. But it is also about John Coffey, a man and a prisoner who possesses an extraordinary gift but also a terrible price to pay for that gift -- and about how others around him respond to his very existence. I have a difficult time writing about the plot without giving anything away, which I certainly don't want to do. The events of the story are astounding.
I also love the Green Mile for its depiction of the death penalty. I won't go into much of my own opinion here since I know the potential that has for opening political debates, but suffice it to say that I am against the death penalty. And despite this book's setting -- quite literally on Death Row -- I feel like it ultimately carries a very anti-death penalty message. (This may turn you off from the book now, and if that's the case, then this probably isn't the book for you.)
For the record: I have not yet seen the movie version of the Green Mile, so I can't offer any comparisons. Since Tom Hanks can be a decent actor, I have hope that it hasn't been butchered. But unfortunately, I don't have a lot of hope :) Stephen King novels tend to be destroyed when they encounter Hollywood (ex. The Shining), so the movie could be awful. I'll try to get back to this point after I've seen it.
17. Possible Side Effects
17. Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs (6/17/2011 - 6/20/2011)
Something about essay writing must draw me to certain authors and their work, because I loved Burroughs' Magical Thinking (a collection of essays), hated Running with Scissors (a memoir), and loved this book, Possible Side Effects (another collection of essays). I find his voice engaging and fun to read, and I'm starting to think that I may actually like his voice better than that of David Sedaris, which, to me at least, is very surprising.
There is a reality to Burroughs' writing that I don't find in a lot of nonfiction writers and I think that's what draws me to his work. His life is interesting, I suppose, but he writes in a way that doesn't make me feel like my life is boring by comparison; in fact, he writes with such clarity that I recognize aspects of my life through his writing in a way that I never expected.
While I may not be a fan of his official "memoir," I do recommend his writing. Perhaps someday I'll read the rest of his work.
Something about essay writing must draw me to certain authors and their work, because I loved Burroughs' Magical Thinking (a collection of essays), hated Running with Scissors (a memoir), and loved this book, Possible Side Effects (another collection of essays). I find his voice engaging and fun to read, and I'm starting to think that I may actually like his voice better than that of David Sedaris, which, to me at least, is very surprising.
There is a reality to Burroughs' writing that I don't find in a lot of nonfiction writers and I think that's what draws me to his work. His life is interesting, I suppose, but he writes in a way that doesn't make me feel like my life is boring by comparison; in fact, he writes with such clarity that I recognize aspects of my life through his writing in a way that I never expected.
While I may not be a fan of his official "memoir," I do recommend his writing. Perhaps someday I'll read the rest of his work.
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